Flow meter



Patented Feb. 12, 1924.A

UNITED 4,sTATi-:s

PATENT oFFlcE.

JOHN F. SKOLD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FLOW METER.

Application filed May 6.

Illinois, have invented a certain new and 'useful Improvement in FlowMeters, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements lin flow meters and is particularlyconcerned with, though not limited to, the provision of a novel type ofHow meter for use'on automobiles and other vehicles driven by internalcombustion motors for indicating the rate of use of the fuel. a

The objects of my invention are:

First. to provide a flow-meter .which is simple in construction andeconomical to manufacture Second, to provide a flow meter ot thecharacter describedwhich will accurately 'indicata the rate of flow oiivery small quantities of fluid; and

Third, to provide a flow'meter the accuracy of which is but littleaffected when measuring small rates of flow by skin friction, eddycurrents, and so forth.

Other objects will appear as this description progresses, referencebeing had to the, accompanying drawings in which:

y Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through one embodiment of myinvention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Throughout the several views, similar characters will be used forreferring to similar parts.

In the referred embodiment of my invention, the ollow cylindrical plug14 is provided with an inwardly extending extension 20 which has agroove 2v2 cut in its inner surface,`which groove is preferably ofconstant width, but'increases in depth toward the inner end of thetubular meinber where it communicates with adischarge opening 33 whichpasses through the wall of the tubular member. A disc 23 is reciprocablymounted in the tubular member 20 and carries an inwardly extending rod34 which slides in a suitable opening 35 formed in the closed end 36 ofthe tubular member 1921. Serial N0. 467,510.

20 and carries at its inner end an index 36. 'lo provide a scale for theindex 36 I propose to use a plate l() having a longitudinally extendingraised portlon IIl upon which a suitable scale ca -n he engraved orotherwise inscribed. The endportions of this plate are provided withsuitable openings through which the tubular extensions 12 and 25 mayextend, and the plate is rigidly securedto the meter by means of thenuts l2 and 43 threaded upon the tubular extensions 12 and 25,respectively. Screws 11 may be used for securing the plate -10 to thedash boa-rd or any other suitable support.

I have discovered that the easiest way of providing the 'wedge-shapedgrooves in the inner surface of the tubular member 20 is to first cut alongitudinally extending slot of the width. desired for the slotentirely through the wall of the tubular member 20 and to then insert inthe slot a suitably conformed wedge-shaped member 45. A

Tubular extensions 12 and 25 are threaded into the opposite ends of thetubular supporting member 10. The free ends of the tubular extensions 12and 25 are externally threaded and may be used for securing my improvedmeter to the dash 2S of an automobile. or any other lsuitable support,by providing suitable openings therein for these tubular extensions.Nuts 29 and 30 coacting with the outer screw-threaded ends of t-hetubular extensions 12 and 25', respectively, can be used for securingthe meter to theV support, suitable washers 31 being inserted betweenthe support and the nuts 29 and 30.

` In opera-tion the fluid to bel measured enters the meter through thetubular extension 25. fiows upwardly through the tubular member 20 andlifts the disc 23 and passes around one edge of the disc through thegroove Q2 and out through the opening 33.

The disc 23 will be raised until the passageway defined by it and thesides of the groove Q2 is of sutlicientl area to accommodate the leastdegree by skin friction and eddy -currents, so thatit is possible veryaccurately to measure small rates of How.

While l have described the details of construction of the preferredembodiment of my invention, it is to be clearly understood that myinvention is not limitedto these details of construction, but is capableof other adaptations and modifications Within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention,l what claim is: Y

l. A flow meter' comprisingI a tubular support having a sight openingformed therein, one end of said tubular support being internallythreaded, a gauge glass insaid tubular support, a hollow plug threadedinto said internally threaded end for holding said gauge glass in saidtubular support, the sald plug having a tubular member projectingtherefrom and into said gauge glass and provided at its inner end with adischarge opening,.the said tubular member having a longitudinallyextending groove formed in its inner surface and communieating with saiddischarge opening, the depth of said groove increasing toward the innerend of said tubular member, a disc mounted to reciprocate in saidtubular member, a rod secured to said disc and extending through theinner end of said tubular memmesmo ber, and an index member carried bythe inner end of said rod.

2. A flow meter comprising a tubular support having a sight opening`formed therein,

`a gauge glass in said tubular support, a tulden member carried by theinner end of said rod.

3. A flow meter comprising a tubular support having a sight openingformed therein, a gauge glass vin said tubular support, a tubular memberprojecting from said tubular support and into said gauge glass andprovided at its inner end with a discharge opening, the said tubularmember having a longitudinally extending'groove formed in its innersurface and communicating with said discharge opening, the depth of saidgroove increasing toward the inner end of said tubular member, and adisc mounted to reciprocate in said tubular member.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 30th day of April,1921.

JOHN F. SKOLD. Witnesses:

ALLAN C. AHLBERG, EMIL J. BOURGEOIS;

